Sublime
by blackrumsugarcane
Summary: I think I always knew that my story would not end well. Watching my life pass before my eyes, I could clearly see how what began as an ambitious pursuit for knowledge and power, over time, transformed into a struggle to survive the opposing pulls of love and obsession. For Rodolphus and Tom.
1. A Strange Encounter, A Bold Stranger

**AN:** This is my first BellaMort, so please be gentle and kind! A disclaimer: as noted by the strange way I sorted my pairings, this is not purely a Bellamort, but a Bella/Rodolphus tale as well. My premise for this story is simple- and complex. While this story chronicles the obsession between Bellatrix and Voldemort (Tom), it is also a love story between Bellatrix and Rodolphus. This tale will span almost three decades, and will be super long and windy, so if you want a short smash and bang type thing, this isn't for you. But if you are curious to see how a femme fatale can go from being in love with the love of her life to being driven nearly insane by her obsession for her mentor, please read on!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

I stood on the very edge of the world, my feet teasing the rocks so that they crumbled down into the tumultuous sea. The silvery sky stretched out before me, its fingers entwining with the green-blue water that seemed to beckon me to come closer. It was a siren's call, and I, the sailor. I pulled my heavy ermine cloak around me as my hair lashed at my face. It was cold and windy, and oh so perfect. Mother Nature seemed to echo my emotions today, and I was grateful for her, and for it. My foot continued to dance along the edge of the cliff, and as I watched, more tiny rocks vanished into the depths of the ocean. I was thoroughly entranced.

"Bella," a voice called, startling me away from my reflections. It was my mother, Druella Black. "Come in, dear. You have a visitor, and Lucius says that you would do well to receive him."

"Lucius Malfoy says many things, mother," I said, turning away from the ocean, and walking away from the edge of the world. I grabbed my mother's outstretched hand and pulled her into my cloak. The silly woman hadn't bothered with one. "Half of which he doesn't even begin to mean," I muttered, chuckling.

"Now, now. I've told you many times, Bellatrix. It is unseemly for you to be so fond of him when you know he is betrothed to Narcissa. I know this is difficult, but the women of the Black household are extremely strong-willed. You will cease to think of him thus." My mother pecked my cheek quickly and with consternation, before pushing me through the door of our home. She walked me to the parlor, disengaging her hand from mine. "Behave," she whispered, before walking away to someplace nearby, presumably to listen in on my conversation with this stranger.

I entered the ornate room with great trepidation, pulling my cloak from my shoulders and handing it to the house elf. I immediately allowed my eyes to hone in on Lucius. He was sitting on one of my mother's horrendously expensive chairs, speaking animatedly to the man sitting next to him. His platinum, silky hair fell softly onto his regal black robes, which had been tailored to fit not only his body, but his extravagant taste. Even from this far away, I could see the excitement in his stormy grey eyes. Suddenly, he turned to look at me, and the smile that lit his face nearly stole the breath from my lungs. I smiled softly in response to his silent greeting. Taking a moment to calm my nerves, I then turned my gaze to the stranger sitting next to him, in the chair furthest from the entry way. He sat with the posture of a man who knew of his own power. His back was straight, but his composure was relaxed. He too, was wearing black robes. These were modest compared to Lucius', but exuded the power of an individual confident in his looks and intelligence. His face was turned slightly toward Lucius, who had returned his attention to whatever he was saying. The man nodded slightly, his profile and countenance seeming to indicate that he was listening to Lucius and considering his words. Then, suddenly, as if sensing my stare, he turned to face me and met my eyes.

His eyes perused my face, which I had composed into a neutral mask of subtle defiance, and his lips quirked slightly. He nodded to me, and I took the necessary steps to cross the room. He stood up, towering over me as soon as I reached him, and extended a pale hand.

"My Lord," Lucius said, his tenor voice creeping into the space between myself and the stranger. "It is my pleasure to introduce you to Bellatrix Black."

I glanced at Lucius, curious about his use of the epithet.

"Bellatrix," he continued, "this is the wizard I wanted you to meet." He smiled encouragingly at me, and I couldn't help but feel more at ease.

Finally, I took the man's hand, turning to meet his eyes. "You can call me Bella," I said with reserve, quickly recalling the scant details I had learned from Lucius. This man was to be respected and feared, and while one part of me wanted to be polite and respectful, the other was scornful and skeptical. I could feel the latter part rearing its unwanted head.

"Bella," he said, as if savoring the feeling of my name in his mouth. His eyes twinkled charmingly, and he bent forward in a bow. "The pleasure is surely mine." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it softly, eyes still locked on mine. I tried to ignore the chills that crawled up my spine as he released my hand and straightened up again. "You can call me Tom. Please," he said, gesturing to the seat that was next to him. "Sit." He then turned to Lucius, who bowed smartly and left the room.

Smoothing out my dark burgundy skirts, I sat down, sinking into the cushions. I looked up at Tom, who was still standing, and took this brief lapse in conversation to carefully consider him. His face, which was turned to me, was so devastatingly beautiful. It appeared to me that he had been carved from the softest, most delicate marble. Each feature of his face was intricately defined, as if he had been a hundred years in the making. Pale white skin stretched over high cheekbones and a pointed chin, and intelligent black eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes, peered out from the pale expanse of his face. His nose sloped gracefully down, and I wondered if he often looked down it at those he found to be beneath him. I glanced at his lips, and appreciating their softness, thought about what I would like to do to them with my own. Suddenly, the lips in question quirked into a half-smile, and startled, I quickly met Tom's eyes.

"Mr.-"

"Riddle," he said smoothly.

"Mr. Riddle, if you don't mind me saying, you must be quite the heartbreaker."

He laughed loudly at that, mirth spilling from his lips. "Miss Black, I must warn you, I am a Legilimens; I've been reading your thoughts this entire time." He sat down next to me, a smile still on his face. "I appreciate that you thought to censure out your true feelings about my appearance."

"Mr. Riddle," I said, shielding my thoughts with Occlumency, "I still am a lady, after all. And you can not fault me for my thoughts. I enjoy beautiful things."

He peered at me again. "That is one thing we have in common, my dear Bella."

Internally surprised at his familiar tone, I quirked a brow and immediately challenged him. "I don't suppose you expect me to address you as Lucius does."

"No, I don't. Like I said, you can call me Tom."

"Forgive me for being blunt, Tom," (oh how strange the name sounded, coming from my mouth like that) "but why are you here?"

"Miss Black," he said, "I am in the business of educating. And Lucius tells me that you hold great promise. Essentially, " he said, lowering his voice and leaning forward, "I am hoping to create a faction of superior wizards."

"To what end," I asked, itching to move further away from this peculiar, attractive man.

"To whatever end I need. There is never a reason not to learn more. Education is the future." He reached a hand out to grab mine, and I gasped in surprise.

"Mister, you are quite bold." I tried to disengage my hand from his, but couldn't.

"A man such as myself has to be bold. Miss Black, please let me tell you this one thing. I heard from Lucius that you are the brightest witch of your age, and although I truthfully doubt that, I still sense hungry ambition in you and believe that it would be an honor to teach you."

"Magic is my natural ability. It is a raw talent, and I don't need to be taught it," I said calmly, growing uncomfortable with his close proximity and ignoring his lack of confidence in my intelligence. "And besides, I have a path set for me. I am still a student and would do very well to learn what Hogwarts has to teach me. I can't just accept tutelage from a stranger and ignore my studies. I have goals."

"Then allow me to be your teacher as well. I can help you accomplish these goals of yours." He leaned back, finally responding to my discomfort.

"You? You can't be a day over 23," I said snidely. "I don't know what a man as young as yourself could possibly teach me."

Tom nodded in contemplation, and seemed to be considering something. After a moment, he said, "Miss Black, I don't often tell people this, but I am old enough to have what it takes to teach you."

I quirked an eyebrow skeptically.

Tom laughed. "At the risk of disappointing you, I must confess that I am 23 years your senior." He regarded me intently.

"I don't take kindly to teasing," I said, looking intently for signs of age. I saw no wrinkles. "And if you are not teasing, you must reveal to me your skincare regimen."

Tom laughed loudly at this. "Only if you choose to come into my tutelage."

"I'm sorry, Mister Riddle, but aside from your age, I know absolutely nothing about you. Who are you? Are you qualified to teach me? Lucius told me many fascinating stories, but they still are just stories to me. I don't know where you come from, or your pedigree," I said boldly, tiring of playing the polite hostess. I fully intended to have him reveal more about himself, and as a Pureblood, I knew the best way to do that was to question his pedigree. "I won't have someone of questionable ancestry come into my home and offer me false promises of greatness." I stood up promptly, readying myself to oust him.

"Miss Black," Tom said, his tone stern.

I looked down at him.

"Lucius must have deceived me. When he told me about you, he promised that you were superior in your own right. But so far, you have proved yourself to be average in every aspect. If you had the astute mind that Lucius assured me you did, you surely would have observed the fact that I am Tom Riddle, heir of Salazar Slytherin."

I started, surprised and indignant. "That's an absurd claim to make," I said, bristling with annoyance. "Pippa, escort this loon out of my home," I called to my house elf. I walked towards the entry way, anxious to leave.

"Is it," Tom said, before standing up and following me.

Curious, I turned back to face him.

His eyes shone with predatory anger, and he grabbed my chin with his right hand.

"Yes!" I shouted, immediately regretting my decision to entertain him further, and wondering at his short temper. "Get off me!" I tried to turn to look for my mother. I couldn't figure out why she was not coming to my rescue. And where in the bloody Hell was Pippa?

Tom's grip on my chin tightened, and he forced my gaze downward to look at his left hand. On his ring finger perched an heirloom that was immediately recognizable to me, and to every other Pureblood in the United Kingdom.

"That's the Gaunt ring," I said incredulously. "From where did you steal it?" I inquired angrily, incredulity coloring my tone.

Tom forced me to look at him. "I didn't steal it, wretched woman. I am Tom Marvolo Riddle, and I hail from the Gaunts, the descendant line of Salazar Slytherin." He released his grip.

I continued to eye him defiantly, refusing to acknowledge this claim, although it explained why he had the ring in the first place.

"You don't have to believe me, you stubborn fool," Tom seethed. I realized that in my indignation, I had allowed my shields to fall. "But it would be ridiculous of you to not take me up on my offer to teach you."

"You have nothing to offer me," I shouted, offended by him calling me a fool. I could not believe the audacity of this man. How dare Lucius bring him into my home! I could feel my anger building exponentially, and made the conscious decision not to calm myself.

"I can not believe how foolish you are," he said icily. "The only reason I am even bothering speaking with you is your pedigree. If it weren't for that, you would be just another useless sod of a witch. You are young and arrogant, a poor excuse and a waste of magic." His eyes raged stormily. "You, my dear, have nothing to offer me," he said, with great condescension.

I slapped him. I didn't mean to, but my hand reached out before I could stop it, and the resounding smack startled even me.

"No one comes into my home and speaks to me like that," I seethed. I was acutely aware of the smell of burning flowers, and with a flick of my wrist, extinguished the decorative orchids that had been set on fire by my rage.

Tom rocked back on the heels of his feet and appraised me, his face bearing the mark of my slap. He hadn't even flinched, and in fact, seemed suddenly very calm for a man who had just been attacked violently. "Wandless magic?" He appeared to be very impressed, and was appraising me as if I were prize cattle, his anger forgotten.

I didn't answer, crossing my arms defiantly and silently begging this lunatic to leave my home.

"Miss Black," Tom said, placing both hands on my shoulder and gazing at me intently. "I don't know what it is about me that has caused you to react in such a way. I've never met a soul with such a capacity for destructive anger. Please, let me apologize, and at least show you something that I do have to offer." His eyes bore into mine.

"You aren't planning to hurt me, are you? I've figured out that you warded this room, but if you attempt to hurt me, I will destroy you." My eyes narrowed.

Tom softened his gaze. "No, of course not," he whispered, squeezing my shoulders and dropping his hands. He stepped back, giving me room to breathe. "I noticed that your home sits on top of a cliff that drops into the ocean."

"Yes, it does."

"If you will lead me to the edge of the cliff, I can show you what I have to offer." Tom projected sincerity, and I tried to shake the niggling at the back of my mind that told me he was dangerous. I damned my insatiable curiosity to hell and agreed to take him to my special place.

After all, I reasoned foolishly. What could it hurt?

Tom stood at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the sea as I had done earlier in the day. I stood behind him, off to the side.

"Miss Black, have you ever flown?"

I laughed. "Yes! I am a Chaser for Slytherin House."

"So you fly with a broomstick," Tom said matter-of-factly.

"What else would I fly with, Mr. Riddle?"

Tom turned to look at me, then uncloaked himself. "With innate magical ability." He smiled slightly, then turned back to the ocean.

"What do you me-"

And with that, he took a great bounding leap and fell off the face of the earth.

"Tom!" I screamed, running toward the edge of the cliff, ready to hurl myself down to save him. I knelt down, then laid myself flat on my stomach with my head poking out beyond the edge of the cliff, looking for his body amidst the crushing waves.

"Miss Black," said a voice coming from above me. "It's quite unladylike to sprawl yourself onto the dirty ground. Very unbecoming."

I craned my head back and looked up, shocked. "You- you're flying without a broom!" I quickly got up, brushing the dirt off my emerald robes.

"Astute observation," Tom said, smirking. He turned himself midair, taking strides toward me from his perch above the ocean. He descended slowly and freely, landing on his feet right in front of me.

"You flew," I said, still shocked, reeling from what I had just witnessed.

"Yes, I did." Tom grabbed my shoulders, for the second time that day. "Now will you believe that I have what it takes to teach you?" His glee and passion brightened his countenance.

I stared at a spot directly behind him, trying to process my thoughts. "You flew?"

"Yes, I did."

I took another moment to compose myself. "Why me?"

"Why you what," he said, feigning confusion.

"Why not someone else?"

"Miss Black, when you begin to see yourself the way others see you, you will understand."

A thought suddenly dawned upon me. "You are the man that has been watching me."

Tom's eyes quickly shuttered.

"You have been watching me!"

Silence from the man.

"Why have you been watching me?" I yelled, backing away.

"I had to see with my own eyes the woman Lucius has been raving about for the past year."

"It's inappropriate."

"No," he said adamantly. "What is inappropriate is that you are denying yourself this opportunity! You are a Slytherin for a reason. This," he gestured to us, "was meant to happen. I am meant to show you how to be great, how to be legendary."

"You can't be legendary if I haven't heard of you before."

"Miss Black, your naïveté astounds me. A great man mustn't always broadcast his greatness to the world." Tom smiled. "Besides, you've heard of Lord Voldemort."

"Yes, and?"

Tom looked at me expectantly.

"You're Lord Voldemort? You are Lord Voldemort? He's a terrible human being!"

Tom just smiled again, then walked towards me. He reached a hand out to tilt my chin up so that I could fully regard his face. "Terrible, maybe. But definitely great. Consider my offer very carefully, Miss Black. It would be a great pleasure to teach you."

"I am only seventeen. I am far too young to help you with your vision, and I am not sure I even fully agree with it."

"Oh, but you do. I can see clearly that you do. Never mind that, though. I am only offering to teach you." Tom's eyes shone brightly with enthusiasm. "So do consider it." He dropped his hand from my chin, then grabbed my right hand. He brought it to his lips, kissed it once again, then vanished in a wave of smoke.

I was left standing at the edge of the world, confounded.


	2. Responsibilities and the Men Behind Them

**AN**: For those who have yet to notice, this story starts while Bellatrix is still young. I'm really hoping to portray her as a protagonist. It's the only way I can write a story without it being annoying, and it's the only way I can make it a love story. Please let me know if there are formatting errors! I still don't have a beta.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

That afternoon found me sprawled on my bed, paralyzed with indecision and the efforts of the long day I had had. I of course knew that, in my heart, I wanted to be the powerful witch that Tom had promised I could be. But if the rumors I had heard were true, he was a dangerous man with dangerous ideas that threatened to take hold of the world we lived in if he ever had the opportunity to bring them to fruition, and I was truly afraid to be a part of his vision. I sighed heavily. I knew that I would accept his offer, but I just wished it wouldn't change me.

I sat up, frustrated. Damn Lucius Malfoy. Damn him to Hell for putting me through this. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and hopped down, walking to the door and flinging it open, ready to use the Floo to give Lucius a piece of my mind. Instead, I found my father standing at the doorway, looking concerned and undecided about something.

"My Lord," I said, with trepidation, immediately feeling my anger at Lucius dissipate. My father was an imposing, stern, regal man, and it would do well not to upset him.

"Bellatrix, my dear. Have you eaten?"

"Yes, I lunched with mother, Narcissa and Andromeda."

My father nodded, seemingly distracted. I watched as he stood in the dimly lit hallway and waited for him to speak.

"I heard that you received a visitor today."

"Yes, my Lord."

He was silent for a while, his eyes guarded. Then, "Tom Riddle is a dangerous man, Bella."

"My Lord? What do you mean?"

"I was at Hogwarts with him, you know," my father said, putting his arm around my shoulder and leading me down the hallway. "Brilliant and gifted wizard, always butted heads with Dumbledore. Toward the end of his career at Hogwarts, he had nearly the whole school swooning and fawning over him." Here, my father stopped and gazed at me from the corner of his eye. "I, truthfully, was mortified and disgusted by their behavior. To be so obsessed with someone is obscene, Bella." We continued walking. "They seemed to conveniently forget that they didn't always love him, and in fact, I believe they were quite afraid of him at one point. Something about him always struck me as unnatural."

"Father, why are you telling me these things?"

"I am fully aware that he wants to teach you his brand of magic. Are you interested?"

"Very much so, my Lord."

"When I was in school, I used to be in his inner circle. He dabbles with Dark magic," my father said, quirking a stern brow at me. "Now, you know I have no qualms about Dark magic when used in moderation. When used excessively, it changes a person. I am surprised to see that he is not damaged by his use," my father said, trailing off. "Never mind that, though. Do you think learning his brand of magic will help you become a better witch?

"Yes, father. You taught me to strive to be the very best," I said truthfully, pushing away my earlier reservations.

"No, Bella, I taught you to be good, to be great. You taught yourself to strive to be the very best. You have always been headstrong and defiant of what your mother has to teach you, and you refuse to be branded as the typical Pureblood woman. But this time, you must listen to me, my dear. Heed my warning, Bella. You are not like Narcissa or Andromeda. You are volatile and ruled by emotion. Sometimes, I do respect you for it, but other times, I am afraid for you, for what you will do to yourself and those around you. You remind me very much of Tom Riddle in that way." My father led me to the sitting room, then called for some tea. He sat me down and turned to face me. "If you do decide to fall under his tutelage, please remember who you are and who I raised you to be." He took a sip of tea, then met my eyes with a stern gaze. "Our pedigree leads us to believe that we are the very best of the best. And I would like you to be the absolute greatest in all that you do, you know that. But do not let your ambition blind you."

"What do you mean," I asked, genuinely confused. Was my father alluding to the idea that he had made grand mistakes in his lifetime? Was he warning me away from his path?

"I am saying, don't let your ambition blind you and lead you to commit atrocious acts that will change the composition of your character. My dear, there are so many emotions available to you that you have yet to experience. Experience passion, experience compassion, and let these take hold of you. Do not be ruled purely by anger and ambition. These are the ingredients for the greatest evils. And do take note of my warning about Dark magic."

"I don't quite understand. Do you think my pursuit of knowledge is damning me to a life of evil?" I felt myself becoming upset, despite my very best efforts.

My father sighed heavily, and I feared that I had disappointed him. "Just know your limits, Bellatrix. That is all I ask of you."

He stood up, squeezed my shoulder, and kissed me goodnight, no doubt retiring early because the effort of talking to me was far too much for him.

I stood up, weary that I had misunderstood a great lesson that my father was trying to teach me. As I walked to the Floo, I couldn't help but think that he wished I could change myself to be more like Narcissa or Andromeda, and it angered me deeply and I resented it. I was who he and my mother made me to be! I did not one day just decide to be volatile and angry. I grabbed a handful of Floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. If anything, my father could still be proud of my sisters. They were good and proper and would bring glory to the Black name. They would docilely get married and become the wives they were bred to be. My sisters had no ambition, no passion, no heart! I refused to be like them! Stepping into the fireplace, I yelled out "Lucius' Residence," and swirled away from the place of abounding disappointments.

"Lucius!" I called, when I finally arrived at his bachelor's flat. I heard footsteps coming from the hallway, and started to head in that direction.

"Bella," Lucius said, emerging from the entry way, shirtless. "You can't just Floo here without notice. I could be unavailable or preoccupied."

"Well, were you preoccupied," I asked waspishly, letting my eyes rake down his naked chest. Flushed, I met his gaze and stared stonily in an effort to hide how flustered I felt around his attractive, naked body.

"No," he growled. "What do you want, woman?" He walked past me to the kitchen, opening his liquor cabinet to pull out a bottle of Ogden's Finest.

"I want you to stop talking about me to strange men. Did you know this Riddle guy has been spying on me for the past year?"

"Yes, I did. It's a great honor, Bella," Lucius said, staring at me from where he stood.

"It's disgusting and invasive. Why have you been talking about me anyway," I snapped.

"Bella, I am too tired for you to bitch at me."

"Just answer my question and I will leave!"

"Because you're a great witch! Goddamn it," he muttered, roughly raking a hand through his shoulder-length platinum hair.

"So you just casually men-"

"He is in the process of recruiting stu-"

"You should have told me," I said, still upset.

"You would have said no." He placed his glass down onto the granite countertop and walked towards me. "Are we done here?"

I peered at him, noticing for the first time his drawn appearance. He looked exhausted, and I couldn't help but wonder why. I felt myself becoming concerned, but tried not to sound too overly anxious. "Lucius, are you feeling okay?"

"I told you I was tired!" He shouted angrily.

I backed up fearfully. I had never been on the receiving end of his anger.

"Shit." He sighed heavily and approached me, reaching a hand out. "Bella, I'm sorry."

I backed up more, escaping his touch. "I'm fine." I hesitated. "I'll leave." I still had so many questions, but I figured that, in his state, Lucius would not feel inclined to answer them.

"No, stay. I actually really need someone to talk to."

I glanced at him, sure that he would mollify me with his Malfoy Melodramas, and headed to his sitting room. He followed me in and sat beside me, stretching his arms out so that one of them encircled my shoulders. I leaned into the friendly embrace, and again tried to push away my embarrassing mixture of emotions. Lucius danced his fingers across my shoulder, taking deep slow breaths. I was sure that he was composing his thoughts.

Finally, he said, "Abraxus has decided to have me lead Malfoy Industries."

"That's great, Lucius," I whispered, entranced by the movement of his fingers. Again, I lamented how like a schoolgirl I sounded, but allowed myself to sink into the pleasure of feeling the object of my affection's arms wrapped around me. Finding myself thankful for our relationship, I listened in to what he was saying.

"I suppose it is, but I just have so many things I wish to accomplish, apart from the Malfoy name. It demands greatness, but not for myself. For the house. Anything I do will reflect on my ancestors, not on myself or my worth." He sighed heavily again.

"You have a whole life time to live out your dreams, Lucius. The demands of being a Pureblood are great and heavy, and you have to bear them until you can pass them onto your heir," I stated tiredly, echoing what my father has told me time and time again

"My heir? I don't want to think about my heir, Bella. Distract me. Tell me about your life. It's been so long."

I felt his fingers still and looked up to meet his translucent grey eyes. "I- there isn't much going on with me nowadays," I looked away from his intentness, "but my father did say something rather interesting before I arrived."

"Ah, the great Cygnus Black. Tell me, what did he say?"

"It was a warning, apparently, about pursuing my education with Mr. Riddle."

"Bella, you really should call him Lord Voldemort."

"I'm not his student and am no way subservient to him," I said, moving to break away from Lucius' casual embrace.

"Bella, your temper. Please."

I calmed myself, and was going to speak again when Lucius took a deep breath.

"I know it doesn't seem like it lately, Bellatrix, but I have really come to appreciate our friendship. Despite your short temper," here, he squeezed my arm, "you have really grown as a person. And I love being with you."

I swallowed my disappointment at his choice of words and discerned that something else was bothering him, something that occurred recently. Acknowledging that he wasn't ready to talk about it, I smiled, pulling away from him as I did so. "Lucius, have you decided to go soft now?"

He smiled gently, and I noticed it didn't quite reach his eyes, which reflected the exhaustion he must have felt at having the weight of the world on his shoulders at such a young age. "You know, Bella, your father is right." He reached out a hand to brush a wild tendril of hair back from my face. "You should be careful." His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that frightened me.

"Lucius, I'll be fine, I can handle myself," I insisted, refusing to let my tone bely my fear

"I know," he said, and he allowed his fingers to linger on my cheek.

I slowly closed my eyes and savored the caress. It was a shame that Lucius was promised to Narcissa and I to Rodolphus.

I was sure that I was in love with him, and he, with me.

I stood in front of the mirror of Madame Beaufort's boutique, wearing the final gown in the pile that I was bringing with me to Hogwarts. Gladys Beaufort, an old friend of my mother, frequently designed custom gowns and robes for myself and the women in my family. This latest batch was splendid to be sure, but this dress stood out from the others.

Gladys, in an attempt to widen my palette and expand it from the dark colors I usually wore, had opted for a misty greenish grey velvet that was reminiscent of the ocean. The bodice of the gown was fashioned from this brilliant velvet, and I found myself awestruck at the Madame's creative genius. Although the dress bore my shoulders and was nearly sheer where it stretched across my torso, it exuded sophistication and class, two characteristics that the Black family valued and upheld. The sleeves of the dress, also composed of the same lace, extended to a point and looped around my middle fingers. I stretched my fingers out and laid them against the skirt. Gladys had somehow designed the gown in a way that the velvety lace slowly transformed to regular velvet by the time it reached the floor. I twisted and turned this way and that, marveling at the way the dress reflected the light of the fitting room to imitate the waves of the ocean, shining white and then turning back to the misty grey-green.

"Gladys," I called. "You've really outdone yourself."

"Thank you, my dear!" she called from somewhere in the main part of the shop.

I looked up, confused. If she was in the main part of the shop, whose presence did I feel right behind me? I looked into the mirror and found myself meeting the eyes of Tom Riddle.

He smiled, then leaned his right shoulder against the wall, placing his hands in his pockets. "Miss Black, you've finally noticed me."

"What are you doing here," I asked, mortified that my privacy had been invaded once again by this strange man.

"Admiring the view," he said, smirking.

I stared angrily at him.

"I get my clothing tailored here," he admitted.

I turned around to face him. "Is that so? Because I am under the impression that you are stalking me. Again."

"If I were, it would be for an important reason, to be sure." He straightened up, then walked toward me, placing his hands on my shoulder and turning me to face the mirror.

No longer fazed by his touch, I questioned him. "Oh? And what would that reason be?"

Meeting my eyes in the mirror, he lowered his head to my ear and whispered, far too sensually for a normal human being, "If I were following you again, it would be to obtain your answer to my proposal."

"Mr. Riddle, you are far too bold for your own good," I said waspishly, reaching behind myself to tilt his head away from my ear. My fingers tingled where they contacted his face, and I controlled my blush.

"I've been told that it is actually quite charming."

"Maybe to hussies," I said, "But I was raised by a proper family with morals and values," I huffed.

Tom dropped his hands, holding them behind his back and taking a step away from me. Amusement caused his eyes to shine with mirth. "Well? Have you decided?"

"Yes." I turned to face him, trying to anticipate his reaction to my answer.

"And?"

"I accept your offer."

"Ah, marvelous!" He clapped his hands together in glee, his eyes now shining with predatory ambition. "We have much to do."

"Now?" I asked incredulously.

"Later," he answered. "For now, I must tell you your next step. When you return to Hogwarts tomorrow, you must immediately meet with Headmaster Dippet. You will tell him that you have decided upon an apprenticeship with me. Lucius has done this already, and has encountered no problems."

"You expect me to learn from you while simultaneously attending Hogwarts?"

"Yes," he said. "You have so much to learn, young Bella."

I cringed. _I'm not that young_, I thought.

"But you are," he responded.

Sighing heavily, I threw up my shields. "I must ask you to stop being so invasive, Mr. Riddle. It is quite unnerving."

"Get used to it," he said, eyeing my dress with an undefinable expression on his face.

I resisted the urge to cover myself.

"This dress," he said, trailing off.

I waited for him to continue.

"I do hope you will purchase it. I've never seen anything quite like it." He met my eyes. "You look beautiful in it." He grabbed my hand and kissed it briefly, then turned around and wandered out of the shop, seemingly unaffected by my dumbstruck silence.

What an odd man.


	3. Fanciful Inclinations

**AN:** Hello! I just wanted to thank you all for the reviews. They are all appreciated. Seriously. I smiled when I read them. Now, to the interesting part of this note: I've updated! Originally, this was a much shorter filler chapter, but I was inspired! And I added to it, so please forgive me. I hope you like my additions!

And yes, the infamous Rodolphus will me introduced in this chapter. I hope you all grow to love him.

xx

Nova

* * *

**Chapter 3**

I sat in the burgundy chair with my back to the fireplace. The smell of wood smoke wafted pleasantly around me, and behind me, the flames flickered, warming my back and illuminating the room with a soft glow. Across from me was Headmaster Dippet, who looked to be deep in thought. I nervously awaited his judgment; this apprenticeship had become increasingly important to me for reasons unknown. I was afraid the headmaster would say no to my request.

"Miss Black," he began, steepling his fingers and leaning forward, "I'm afraid that I cannot allow you to accept this apprenticeship."

"Why not," I asked immediately, defensive.

"You have far too much on your plate this year. Your course load, your responsibilities as prefect, and your participation on your House's quidditch team are far too much as it is."

"Headmaster, I did remarkably well last semester, despite my many responsibilities. Your denial of my request makes me think that you are taking on a sexist attitude," I said, my face flushing from the heat of anger and embarrassment.

"I assure you that that is not the case at all!" Dippet leaned back and perused me thoughtfully. "Why would you accuse me of such a thing?"

"It is no secret to me that you have approved of Lucius' request."

"Well then it should be no secret to you that Lucius has shifted his priorities. But if you so wish it, then I will approve of your request as soon as you give me a copy of your class schedule and prefect rotations."

"I have my schedule," I said, pulling a small scroll from my satchel. "Tonight, you will receive my prefect rotations from the Headgirl, if she does her job well." I handed the man my schedule and then straightened up in my chair. I suddenly recalled what he had said only moments before. "Excuse me, Headmaster, but what did you mean when you said that Lucius had shifted his priorities?"

"Well he decided to abjure his responsibilities as prefect," Dippet said matter-of-factly.

"If Lucius is not my counterpart, then who is," I asked incredulously.

"The Head Girl, Head Boy, Mr. Malfoy, and myself decided on someone more than qualified, Miss Black."

"Yes, well I'm asking who, exactly," I said, well aware that I was probably crossing a line. I didn't care; the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach seemed to tell me what I already knew.

Dippet sighed heavily and got up, walking to the door. I thought he was dismissing my query when he turned around to face me and said, "Rodolphus Lestrange."

I stood outside the front entrance to Hogwarts with my light traveling cloak wrapped around me. Reveling in the softness of the expensive fabric, I thought about the implications of Lucius' maneuvers. I couldn't understand why he was giving up such a unique opportunity. If he had retained his duties as prefect, he and I would have shared chambers. We could have experienced all that we couldn't when we were at home. I cursed inwardly, willing my anger and frustration to dissipate. Now, I would have to room with Rodolphus, of all people. As if the news of my engagement to him wasn't devastating enough.

Following that line of thought, I reminisced about the day I found out.

_"Bella," my mother had said. "It is the perfect time for us to discuss your duties as a Black."_

_I groaned loudly. "Mother, not now."_

_"You need to know who you are to marry," she snapped. _

_I calmly stoked the fire in the fireplace, waiting for her to continue._

_"As you are well aware, you are to be married to him at the end of your tenure at Hogwarts. The hope is that-"_

_"I produce an heir by the second year of marriage." I closed my eyes tightly, reigning in my frustration. "I know. But with whom?" I turned to face my mother, feeling my eyes wet with tears that I refused to shed._

_"Bella, do not cry. It is an honorable tradition."_

_"Mother, just tell me."_

_"As you wish." She took a deep breath, and with one fell swoop, released the name of the man to whom my fate was to be intertwined. "Rodolphus Lestrange."_

_I thought for a moment. "Strategic," was all I said._

_My mother perused me quietly and sternly. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"_

_I looked up at her from my position on the rug. "Yes, mother. There is nothing else to say."_

From then on, my interactions with Rodolphus, which had always been amicable at best, were flavored with resentment and bitterness at my situation, and I thoroughly blamed him, though I knew he had no say in the matter either. Now, only nine months later, I found myself trying to swallow this resentment. I was going to be working with him and living with him. I just constantly needed to remind myself that this was not a punishment, but an opportunity to observe Lestrange. With that in mind, I steeled myself and pushed open the doors to Hogwarts.

I entered the Great Hall, walking briskly towards my House's table. I stopped only to look at the professors' table, where I found that I was being observed by Albus Dumbledore. Nodding briefly to him, I realized that Sorting hadn't even started yet. All at once, I was grateful that my parents had permitted me to Apparate to Hogsmeade with my trunk instead of using the ceremonial Hogwarts Express, which would not have afforded me the time to meet with Dippet. I looked away from Dumbledore's curious blue eyes and continued striding towards my table. Immediately, I sought out Lucius' distinctive silvery blonde hair. Right as I found it, he looked up and met my eyes.

"Bella," he mouthed. He waved a hand and gestured to the empty seat next to him.

I smiled briefly, noted that my sister was seated a ways down the table from us, and joined him. Secretly, I was glad that she didn't know to whom she was betrothed. Pushing that thought out of my mind, I smiled again and leaned in to kiss Lucius on the cheek in greeting.

"Bella, you seem extraordinarily happy at the moment," Lucius said, mirth coloring his features.

"I have plenty of reason to be. I just met with Dippet, and what do you know, we had a nice little conversation."

Lucius leaned back and looked at me quizzically before realization dawned upon him. "Bella, I-"

"Shush, now, Lucius. We can talk later. For now, I have to tell you. I got the apprenticeship, with_out_ sacrificing anything."

Lucius at least had the decency to let his shame show.

"It's not such a bad thing that he gave up being a prefect, you know," said a voice directly across from Lucius.

I cringed inwardly and turned to the man who had spoken. "Rodolphus, it's been too long," I said, through clenched teeth, momentarily forgetting my pep talk from just a moment earlier.

"Through no fault of my own," he said, smirking. He lifted his goblet of pumpkin juice and raised it towards me. "Cheers, Bella. It's great to see you again, and you look magnificent, as always." He continued eyeing me as he gulped his drink, and I got the distinct impression that he was undressing me with his gaze.

"As always, your kind words fail to impress me," I said, a saccharine smile now plastered on my face.

Underneath the table, I felt Lucius grab my arm and squeeze, telling me to calm down. I whipped my head around to glare at him, nearly breaking my neck. Then I turned back to Rodolphus and saw that he looked even smugger. His light green eyes were narrowed in mirth, and his mouth was quirked triumphantly, contorting his face into a disgustingly attractive smirk. Rodolphus' smile widened, and I knew he knew that I found him to be attractive. Breaking Lucius' grasp on my arm, I said snappily, "You filled out a bit over the summer. I take it you can lift a quill without fainting now?"

Lestrange laughed uproariously, raised his goblet towards me, and responded, "This year will be so amusing, Bellatrix. I look forward to rooming with you."

I sniffed, raising my head to regard him down the slope of my nose. "And I, you."

I could not dispel the feeling that I would indeed enjoy this turn of events.

I stood up from my chair and stretched my arms above my head, eager to get the kinks out of my sore and tired muscles. All around me, students were in a similar state of exhaustion. The Sorting had finished some time earlier, and it was now time for the prefects to lead the first years to their respective dormitories. Slowly rolling my neck, I quickly considered how long it would take. If all went well, I would have the first years in their chambers within the next twenty minutes, and could finally take my first break of the day.

I squeezed Lucius' shoulder. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow on the pitch, yeah?"

"We have classes together too," he said, smiling.

"I guess you're right. Hopefully not too many though," I said, "Because I can't have you copying my homework again this year."

Lucius guffawed loudly. "Yeah, right, Bella. I'll see you on the pitch at 6. Don't be late."

He sauntered off to join his friends and I turned my attention to Rodolphus, who was still seated. The man took one final sip of his pumpkin juice, then, locking his eyes on mine, rose slowly. I knew his intention was to make me look up at him, since he towered over me, and it worked. He smirked, then nodded at me, and I turned to face the rest of the table. Insufferable man.

"Right, then," I muttered. I nonverbally cast a _Sonorus_ charm on myself, then lightly pressed the tip of my wand to my throat. "First years," I said, allowing my voice to carry gently over the noise of the Great Hall. I knew full well that the students could hear me with clarity. "If you have been Sorted into Slytherin house, please follow myself and Prefect Lestrange to your dormitory. Again, Slytherin first years, follow Prefect Lestrange and me to your dormitory." I saw the first years, grouped at the very end of the table, turn towards the sound of my voice, and nodded to indicate that they were to head towards me.

I disengaged the charm and looked over at Rodolphus to ensure that he hadn't disappeared on me, only to be met by a surprise. I saw him raise his wand over his head, and from it spun a beautiful, silken emerald banner emblazed with the Slytherin insignia. I gasped at the bit of magic he used, admiring the ingenuity, then quickly chastised myself. It was just a flag, after all. I saw that he had enchanted it so that it wouldn't fold in upon itself, and then he began waving it above his head. It rippled smoothly, and flew above the crowds of people gathered in the hall. I whipped my head to look at the first years and saw that they were already heading towards Rodolphus. Scowling, I allowed him to lead the new students to the Slytherin dungeons while I followed, grabbing the stragglers and making sure they didn't stray off course. I could hear his deep voice ahead, instructing the students on the expectations of Hogwarts and of Slytherin house specifically. I continued scowling, mentally checking his list against mine, and realized he had forgotten some very important things. I smiled gleefully as he opened the portrait to the entrance of the dungeons, and quickly herded the students through so that I could address them.

When I finally entered, I found that they were all gathered a few feet away from the entrance, and appeared to be waiting expectantly. Rodolphus stood off to the side, ostensibly to give me my moment in the limelight. I cleared my throat and spoke, ignoring the presence of the older students, who appeared to be milling about before bed. "Students, I am Bellatrix Black and I will be one of your prefects for this school year. It is important that you remember what Rodolphus has just said, but it is also pertinent for you to know that Slytherins are not expected to fraternize with members of the other houses. There won't be any repercussions if you do, of course," I said, reassuring the students, "but we would prefer that you utilize the resources you have here as well as your specific skillsets that you each hold, to succeed. It wouldn't do for you all to be swayed in your greatest ambitions by those who are not like-minded. And finally, you are all invited to watch Slytherin's quidditch practice tomorrow at six in the morning. I am one of the chasers, and Rodolphus is a beater. We would love to be able to inspire you all to pursue your talents, and always welcome new talent to the team." I saw smiles light up some of their faces and mentally complimented myself on successfully welcoming these newest members to the house. I knew that having them enjoy their experiences as a Slytherin was critical in garnering the support of their connections, whether or not they knew they had them.

I looked up from the crowd of small children to see Lucius listening intently, with a small smile of approval on his face. I knew that if he had been prefect, he would have said the same. I then looked at the students, who were still standing there, listening expectantly. "Well? Off to bed now. We all have a very busy day ahead of us."

With that, I strode through the gathered first years to talk to Lucius, leaving Rodolphus to show them to their rooms.

"I see you waited for me," I said when I was close enough for him to hear me.

"Of course I did," he smirked. "Thank you for that little addition to your speech, by the way."

"It's nothing, really. It's important to make them feel welcome so that their parents don't write letters of complaint on their behalf. And who knows?" I said. "Some of them may actually be talented. Not likely, but possible."

"Ah, always thinking about the bigger picture," Lucius said.

"Unlike some, I would say."

Lucius' facial expression immediately closed. "Let us talk somewhere more private."

"No need," I said, casting a quick Muffliato with a flick of my wand. "No one can hear us," I responded.

"But they sure as hell can see us, and it wouldn't do for it to look like we are arguing."

"We're not," I replied, smiling. "We're having a discussion between friends."

"Bellatrix, please."

"And make this even more suspicious? I don't think so." I cast my eyes about the room and noticed that most of the Slytherins had already gone to bed. Only about ten of the fourth and fifth years remained in the common room.

"Then let us at least sit."

I acquiesced and chose a dark leather armchair close to the small fire in the fireplace. Lucius sat on the other side of the fire.

"Why did you do it," I asked immediately.

"We have to keep up appearances of propriety," Lucius said, sighing and pushing his hair back.

"Nothing about our _friendship_," I spat, "is improper!"

"It was bound to appear so, Bella. You know how I feel for you. I don't think I could have kept it hidden for long."

I scoffed, and upon remembering that we were, for all intents and purposes, having a pleasant conversation, smiled. "What a disgrace you are to Slytherins, Lucius. You can't even control your emotions for a couple of hours a day?"

His eyes flared at my remark. "And you can? You nearly pant yourself to death every time you see me. It's clear that there is something going on between us! Whatever it may be!" He dropped all pretenses of being pleasant and stood abruptly. "I'm doing this for us."

"Lucius," I seethed through my clenched teeth, "calm down." I grabbed his arm as he walked by and stopped him. "Relax!"

He looked down his nose at me. "You view things too myopically, Bella. Remember where and who we are."

I stood up and grabbed his shirt. "You listen to me, fool. This was supposed to be _our year!_ You gave it up because you are a sodding coward. We don't have nearly enough time, and you just gave what little we had to bloody Rodolphus!" I pushed him away from me, tore down the wards with an angry slash of my wand, then pointed it at him. "_You_ need to remember who _I_ am. Remember the things I've done and where I've been before you question the composition of my character." The fire beside me crackled and hissed loudly, mirroring my fury. I glared around the room at the few Slytherins gathered there. "I am Bellatrix Black," I seethed menacingly. "Do not cross me this year." I swung my wand around my head and pointed it at the fireplace, quickly extinguishing the flame and casting the room into darkness, then I cast a quick spell that mimicked the effects of the Peruvian darkness powder. Amidst the shocked whispers and cries of blindness, I grabbed Lucius by his shirt again and pressed my lips to his, kissing him angrily, desperately. Nipping fiercely at his startled lips, I whispered, "_This_ is what you are missing." I pushed him away a final time, lifted the enchantment, then stormed off to the chambers I was to share with Rodolphus, but not before seeing look of anger and bewilderment on Lucius' face.

"Rough night?" Rodolphus said, in response to me banging my way through our shared living space.

I looked over at him, noticed that he was lounging shirtlessly on the couch, supposedly reading a book, and sighed heavily. "Yeah, how did you guess," I asked, trying for civility.

"I could hear you shouting about something or other." He flipped a page.

"I really tried to be a decent human being for a while," I called, disappearing into my room to quickly change into more comfortable clothing.

"I couldn't tell!" he called back.

I reappeared in the living room of our spacious dorms. "Well, I wasn't pleasant to you. I never am. It's expected."

He looked up from where he was sitting, his eyes shining in the firelight. "There was a time when we were friends, Bellatrix."

"Yeah, when we were fifteen. Things changed," I said, feeling my cheeks burn.

He set his book down. "They didn't have to, you know."

I felt myself growing uncomfortable at his direct tone. "They had to change one way or the other."

"I would have preferred the other," he muttered, before getting up.

"I- where are you going," I said, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

"I'm getting a drink. Want anything?"

"I'm a bit tired," I said, realizing there was truth to this.

Rodolphus walked past me and headed towards the cabinet where he had apparently stored his liquor. "Join me for a drink."

I exhaled slowly. "It can't hurt," I muttered.

He promptly sat back down again with two glasses of Firewhiskey. He handed me one, then leaned back in his seat. As I drank, I tried not to stare openly at his impressive musculature.

He chuckled. "Go ahead, we're getting married anyway. You might as well."

I felt my cheeks burning again and immediately tried to hide my embarrassment with anger. "Why are you being so nice to me, anyway? I've been wretched to you for so long," I accused, suspicious.

His eyes shuttered and he set his glass down. "Well what did you expect? I am decent towards people I like."

I scoffed. "You like me?"

"Yes," he said, picking up his glass and drinking from it. "I do. But your attitude towards me has been wearing on me."

"I don't understand," I said loftily.

"Believe it or not, I would prefer to like the person I am going to spend my life with. It's smart and it's pleasant. You should try it some time. I'm not a horrible human being." He finished his drink and stood up. "Good night, Bellatrix Black."

He then walked to his room, which was across from where I was sitting, and I was afforded a view of his broad back. Clearing my throat, I muttered good night and walked to my own room, which was next to his.

I slipped into bed, still clear-headed because the alcohol hadn't affected me.

But even though I was tired, I could not find peace, nor could I find sleep. I kept thinking that maybe I was going about everything the wrong way. Maybe, instead of trying to find momentary happiness in Lucius, I should try to find a lifetime of happiness in Rodolphus. It hurt my heart to think about my life like this, but it was the smart thing to do.

It was the Slytherin thing to do.

Maybe I should give up on Lucius, despite our history of romantic intentions and our fanciful inclinations.

* * *

**AN**: Don't worry! Our beloved Tom will appear soon. Just a reminder that this will be a long story spanning both the First and Second wars. Plenty of time for Tom to become disfigured and inhuman, and for Bellatrix to become a lunatic ;) That being said, this is still a Bellamort, and I know this. I still, however, have to make it a bit realistic, meaning that before Tom, there was Rodolphus. Don't worry, don't worry. Tom will appear soon! Probably in the chapter after next! Who knows what will happen...

But in the mean time, read and review! And check out my other works!

xx


	4. The Pitch

**AN**: Hello everyone! Look! Another exciting update. So, before you begin reading and end up hating me, I must explain. The first chapters of this very, very long story are going to be slow-going. I think it is important to establish a routine and really give as much context as I can so that the nuances of each character are clearly shown. Please forgive me, but that's just how it goes. That is why it is going to take three chapters to display Bellatrix's first day back at Hogwarts. I promise that after the next few chapters, the story will pick up the pace. I'm also considering changing the format after these chapters. Tell me what you think. Should I do it so that the sections pertaining to the same day are included in the same chapter, even if they're about completely different things and show unrelated scenarios? Or would you all prefer them to be separated by chapters? This is when feedback will really come in handy, but if I don't have a general consensus by the time chapter 6 or 7 rolls around, I'll just stick with my current, seemingly-random formatting.

But really, how many chapter titles can I come up with?

About this chapter. There's sexually explicit content, so please enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

That morning found me awaking to loud knocking on my door.

"What!" I screeched.

"I don't know how long it takes you to get ready, but you should get up now! You're going to be late for practice if you spend more than thirty minutes grooming yourself," Rodolphus called through my oak door.

"Fine!" I screeched, scowling. "Stay away from the loo!" I flung my covers off of myself and climbed off of my poster bed, casting angry, sleep-laden eyes about my Slytherin-themed room. My trunk, which had been unpacked the night before, sat at the foot of my bed. I slammed the lid shut, and then tried to remember where I had placed my things. Mumbling angrily, I Summoned my quidditch gear, then stuck my wand in my curly, wild, long hair and twirled it, effectively securing the long tresses in a bun. I flung open my door and stormed out, half-naked and still angry for being awakened at the ungodly hour of 5:30. I stalked to the door of the lavatory and opened it, relieved that Rodolphus had heeded my warning. Quickly pulling off my sleep things, I changed into my emerald and black gear and proceeded to do my daily routine.

I quickly washed my face and brushed my teeth, taking time to maintain proper dental hygiene. Then, I stared into the mirror at my hair, and after adjusting a few stray tendrils, was satisfied. I would have to fix it after practice anyway. I stared at my face, decided I would do well to spell some kohl onto my heavy lids, and rouged my lips and cheeks.

"Bella!" Rodolphus called. "We have five minutes to appear on the pitch!"

"Bloody hell," I muttered. I opened the door after sparing my reflection one last approving glance, quickly walked to my room and tossed my things in, then grabbed my new broom, and ran to the door that opened out to the common room, wandlessly securing my shoes as I went. "Fuck," I said angrily.

"What," Rodolphus asked, having heard me. He opened the door and ushered me through, careful not to touch me.

"I hate being rushed," I said, swearing again, and running to the portrait entrance way.

He chuckled. "I didn't know if I should have woken you," he admitted.

I glared at him from the corner of my eye. "If you're going to do it, do it earlier next time."

He raised his eyebrows. "You're never very happy, are you."

"I don't have a reason to be," I muttered, having run out of patience the moment I woke up.

"And you're not a morning person either," he said, under his breath.

I glared again, then ran through the castle, anxious to be on time for the first practice of the season. I burst through the doors just as Rodolphus did, then straddled my broom and kicked off, floating high above the ground.

"Oy!" Rodolphus shouted, from below.

I cast a bewildered glance down at him. "Where in the bloody hell is your broom, Lestrange?"

"I'm not a nutcase! I put it in the shack like the rest of the team did! It's protocol!"

"Blast the protocol," I shouted down at him. I angled my broom down towards him and landed right next to where he stood. "Hop on! We have one minute!"

Rodolphus straddled the broom, sitting neatly behind me, and wrapped one arm around my torso, careful not to lean into me so that I wouldn't be thrown off balance. I rolled my eyes again, then, with his help, kicked off. Taking advantage of the high capabilities of my new broom (worth the purchase, I assure you), I leaned forward and angled us towards the pitch, throwing all my weight slightly up and out. We shot across the grounds, the wind whipping tendrils of my hair about my face. Rodolphus placed his other hand on my thigh, holding me steady as he leaned his weight forward as well, tightening his grip around my waist and pressing his firm abdomen against my back. I remembered suddenly that we used to fly together very often when we were much younger. Tightening my grip on the broom, I pushed away the strange feeling at the pit of my stomach and began angling the broom down as we shot out over the pitch, leaning back into Rodolphus as I did so. We hurtled towards the ground quickly and I brought the front of the broom up to slow our decline, turning us in a slow circle above the pitch as I did so. Below us, the entire team watched our descent, eyes judging Rodolphus' familiarity with my body. I rolled my eyes and pushed his hand away.

"You can get off now," I said waspishly.

"We're still pretty high up," he said, voice resonating in my ear.

I ripped his arm away from my torso. "We both know that you can make the jump. Don't make me push you."

Rodolphus laughed uproariously. "It was great flying with you again," he breathed into my neck. He chuckled quietly, and jumped off the broom, landing next to the other beater, Amador Yaxley. He Summoned his broom from the shed, and from where I was sitting, still above the rest of the players, I could see it shooting towards him until it landed in his outstretched palm.

"Bella!" called Lucius, who was standing in the center of the group. "Come on down! Nice of you to join us," he sneered.

The team was silent as I descended. They knew not to laugh at my expense, as my temper was legendary among the them. I lowered the broom until my feet touched the ground next to Bastien Mulciber, one of the other chasers.

"Well?" I said. "We can begin now. We only have two hours."

Lucius turned his stony gaze from me and addressed the group at large. "Actually, we will only be practicing for an hour today, as I want you all to have time to gather your bearings for school. It is the first day, after all." He smiled brightly as the team whooped and cheered, but I stood silently, unfazed. "The plan for today," he continued, "is to run drills with your individual task groups. Chasers will be working together, running fly-catch drills. Beaters will be weaving in and out, working on both offense and defense today. Please be careful, Yaxley, not to get distracted and let a stray bludger hit our keeper this time. Please. I will be working with Camila on keeping skills, so I will be using one of the spare quaffles from the shed. I expect this warm-up practice to be productive. We need to work well together so that we can win together." Lucius cast an appraising glance over the lot of us before his eyes landed on me. "Yes, Bellatrix?"

"I was just wondering how this will help you with your seeker skills."

"If you must know, I will be keeping an eye on all the operations occurring in the pitch today, as well as helping Camila with keeping. It's called multi-tasking. Surely you've heard of it."

I nodded, refusing to let him bait me.

"Alright! Disperse, team. Work hard! Except you, Bellatrix. We need to have a talk." Lucius turned to Camila, the newest member of our team. "Miss Boyle, surely you don't mind. I would like it if you joined Rosier and Mulciber for a moment while I talk to Miss Black."

The blonde nodded, then kicked off on her broom and soared over to where the other Chasers sat, passing the quaffle around to warm up their muscles.

Lucius turned to me. "New broom?"

"Yes," I said.

"You know we have a rule."

"Yes, I have to break it in before I play on it."

"And have you?"

"No," I responded nonchalantly.

"We have rules for a reason," Lucius said, eyes turning to steel.

"I know. I fully intend to break it in before I play on it. That's what practice is for."

Lucius stared at me for a moment, seeming to consider something. "I'd like for you to stay after practice to get more time in with your broom."

"Bloody- are you kidding me?" I yelled.

"I'm asking as your captain," he said, voice calm. "And I am also offering my assistance, in case you should want to fly like a seeker."

Immediately, my curiosity peeked. It was no secret that seekers were the best flyers. "Fine," I said, before hopping onto my broom. I kicked off forcefully, spraying him with turf as I rose higher, soaring towards my teammates. I immediately flew in front of the new girl, intercepting the quaffle that was being thrown to her by Rosier. I whipped past her with the quaffle tucked between my right arm and my body. "You gotta be faster than that if you want to play in the big leagues," I called over my shoulder, throwing the quaffle at Mulciber and zipping to my next position. Camila, a fifth-year who truly should have been sorted into Hufflepuff for how she was currently acting, was visibly shaken.

I felt Lucius zoom past me on his way to Camila. "Bellatrix," he yelled loudly, loud enough for the entire team to hear, "it's called teamwork! It's what we're working on today. Try it out and let me know how it goes!"

I saw Camila smile and resisted the urge to snatch the heavy bat out of Rodolphus' hand and bash a bludger towards her face. Instead, I looped around Yaxley and switched positions with Mulciber, who had passed the quaffle down the field to Rosier. "Standard practice, Lucius! We don't play with ghosts, we play with talented, agile witches and wizards who know how to steal a quaffle!" I shouted, bypassing Mulciber and intercepting the quaffle he meant to steal from me.

"Touché," Lucius said, before he flew with Camila towards the goal posts.

I rolled my eyes and commenced with practice, working up a sweat and building on my skillsets. Before I knew it, it was seven, and Lucius had called us into a huddle to congratulate us on work well done. The team dispersed, heading towards the castle. All were euphoric and pleased with their progress. Rodolphus lingered.

"Bella, are you heading up?"

"Can't. Apparently it is pertinent that I break in my broom today," I said, reaching up to re-secure my hair.

"Don't you have class at eight?" he asked.

"No, I have class at nine."

"So then you will have enough time for breakfast."

"Yes, that's the idea," I said, laughing.

He smiled briefly, before looking over my shoulder. "Good. Didn't want you to starve. Thanks for the ride earlier. Let's do it again sometime," he said smirking. He hopped on his broom and flew to the shed, where he would store it before making his way up to the castle.

Curious at his change in demeanor, I turned around. Lucius was heading towards me with an undefinable look on his face, and I quickly wondered if maybe Rodolphus was jealous. Before I could think about it further, Lucius had reached me and was engaging me in conversation.

"Saw you flying with Rodolphus earlier," he said. He looked into the distance and I followed his gaze. Rodolphus was nowhere to be found.

"Yeah, he needed a ride. I didn't want him to hold up practice," I said truthfully.

"He seemed very familiar with you," Lucius said, before indicating that we were heading towards the shed.

Confused, I faltered. "I thought we were flying?"

Lucius smiled slightly, before answering. "I want to see you try out one of the older brooms first, to compare flying styles."

Although I had the distinct impression that he was lying, I followed anyway, curious.

"So? He seemed familiar," Lucius said.

"Ah, that. We all flew together once, don't you remember? Fifth-year, when we began to get serious about quidditch."

Lucius nodded. "That doesn't explain-"

"Well at one point, he and I shared a broom," I said.

"That's it? You have nothing more to say?"

"We just know each other that way, Lucius. What do you expect me to say," I asked, pushing open the door to the shed. I didn't tell Lucius that Rodolphus and I flew together even after that night.

Lucius followed me in. "Nothing, I suppose."

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "Well? Which broom," I asked.

"None."

I turned to face him. "Don't waste my time, Malfoy. I have better things to do than play games."

Lucius smiled, and the golden light of the shed seemed to reflect off of his teeth. I carefully considered him.

"What are you doing," I asked, suddenly weary.

Lucius' eyes raged stormily, and he answered. "You kissed me last night."

My cheeks flushed. "Oh."

"Just 'oh?' Did you forget?"

"Truthfully, yes," I said, mortified to be caught in that particular situation.

Lucius' eyes gleamed hungrily and I felt myself becoming aroused at the look he was giving me.

"Let's remedy that," he growled, before grabbing my waist with his hand to pull me in. His face hovered above mine, and his mercury gaze peered at me.

I swallowed loudly, then reached my hungry hands up to entwine in his beautiful, flaxen hair. "Let's," I whispered, suddenly craving his touch, eager to consummate what had been so long in the making.

He quickly dipped his head in, capturing my lips with his own. The warmth spilled forth and I felt as if he had set my soul alight with the intensity of his passion. His soft lips pulled at mine tantalizingly, and I moaned softly into them, reveling in the way he swallowed the sounds coming from my mouth. I tugged lightly on his hair, and he growled, using his left hand to push my face closer to his. The raw fire that seemed to fuel him made him insatiable, and his hands quickly made their way down my body, grabbing my buttocks and pushing me against his warm, stiff member. I gasped, and he took that as invitation to probe my mouth with his curious tongue, flicking and exploring, and bringing me to heights I had only dreamt of. I reached a hand down and grasped his cock firmly, before leaning my head back and allowing him access to my throat. He nipped the sensitive skin lightly, running his lips over each bite, soothing it oh so sensually. Then, with one powerful lift, he hoisted me so that I sat in his arms, my clothing-clad pussy resting directly over his own member. He pressed me against the wall, then stopped, looking up at me.

"Do you want this," he asked hoarsely.

"Yes," I whispered. "Yes," I said more loudly.

He rocked his hips into mine so that I could feel his excitement. Then, with one quick tug, he undid his pants. Still pressing me against the wall, he managed to undo mine as well, pulling the loose material over my shoes. He brought me lower, kneeling as he went, and suddenly, I found my naked cunt exposed to his hungry mouth. His lips slowly, tantalizingly approached mine, and he flicked his devilish tongue up the length of my quim. I moaned loudly, feeling that fire consume me.

"Lucius," I muttered softly, before gaining the self-control to undo my top. I ripped off my heavy quidditch gear and exposed my breasts to him. He looked up briefly, then prompted me to play with them as he tantalizingly worked his way around my anatomy. Moaning louder still, I grabbed his head with one hand and pushed it deeper into me as I rolled and twisted my nipple with the other. Still pleasuring me, Lucius used his strength to lower me to the ground, then continued to suck at my bud. I rocked my hips toward his face and struggled to keep calm. He held my hips down, then, with one hand, entered one, two, three fingers into me. I screamed in pleasure, begging him to continue.

"Lucius, please. I need it, I need it!"

"Mm," he mumbled, his voice vibrating erotically against my bud. He looked up, predation in his eyes. "Tell me exactly what you need," he said, voice rumbling deliciously against my pussy. He continued kissing slowly, before running his tongue along the length of my quim again.

I bit my lip and rocked my hips up again. "You," I whispered.

"Hm?" he asked, before looking up and smiling.

"You!"

"Mm," he muttered, lowering his head back down. He paused this time, then, catching me by surprise, used that treacherous tongue of his to sexually decimate me. He probed my opening expertly, flicking his tongue up and down, sucking on my bud as he went.

"Oh, Lu-" I mumbled incoherently, angrily. "Cock, COCK!" I yelled, feeling my eyes water at the intensity of the pleasure.

"Hm," he said, with that fucking smirk on his face. He leaned over me and held his face directly over my own while his masterful fingers pumped away inside me, denying me what I truly, rightfully deserved.

"Cock, cock," I begged, rubbing my bare breasts against the fabric of his shirt. My fingers reached towards the hem of the offending garment and I pulled it off him, bereft as he momentarily left my body.

"Cock?" he asked, smiling. He lowered his face toward mine, still pumping oh so slowly.

"Your fucking cock, Malfoy. Don't play games!"

I spread my legs out wide, then reached a hungry hand down and grabbed his large, stiff member and placed it at my opening. I looked up at him, a devilish glint in my eye. "Should I do the honors?"

The smile on his face promptly disappeared, and a look of voracious hunger replaced it. He grunted and moaned before nodding once. I slowly pulled him into me, sliding my tight grip along his shaft as I did. He moaned again, his eyes boring into mine.

"Damn it, woman!" he muttered forcefully, before thrusting fully into me and entering me in one fell swoop.

I groaned in ecstasy, my senses failing me as I tried to comprehend the pleasure he had granted me. My eyes clenched shut and my lips parted as I grunted again. I felt him grab my wrists and spread my arms out, denying me the right to touch myself. My eyes snapped open and I met his gaze. He smirked again, whispered something inaudible, then pulled slowly back.

"Oh," I moaned. "So-"

He slammed back into me.

"Good," I finished.

He lowered his lips to mine and captured them in a searing kiss that lit my entire being on fire, before continuing with that tantalizing, torturous rhythm. He pulled out slowly, then snapped forward forcefully.

When it had gotten to be too much, I wrapped my legs around his naked waist, limiting how far he could go. Forcing him to go faster, I rocked my hips to meet his thrusts, screaming in ecstasy.

"Oh, bloody-"

He latched his lips onto my neck and sucked softly, thrusting away again and again and again, and I felt the pressure building.

"Lucius," I whispered. I moaned again. "I'm close!"

He lifted his head and met my gaze with his own. "I know," he said, before kissing me softly. His lips contrasted what was going on below, as he picked up the pace and thrust harder and harder until pain mixed with pleasure, and we reached rapture all at once.

I slowly put my clothes back on, avoiding looking at him. When I had finished, I checked the time and saw I had only twenty minutes to grab breakfast and make myself presentable. Thanking Merlin that the kitchens were on the way, I grabbed my broom and made to leave.

"Bella," Lucius said, stopping me in my tracks.

I swallowed heavily and turned around, expectant.

"This doesn't change anything," he said.

"I know."

"But it doesn't mean that it wasn't important."

"I know," I whispered.

He gazed at me intently, alabaster cheeks still flushed from our activity.

I stared back, until finally the question forced itself out of my throat and fell into the open space between us. "What changed?"

"I don't like seeing you with Rodolphus," he answered immediately, truthfully.

I resisted the urge to remind him that it was his fault, after all. Instead, I said, "I'm marrying him."

He nodded, quiet for a while. "I know."

The ensuing silence enveloped us, and I felt trapped by the burgeoning emotions and the weight of all that we could not say, despite the fact that we had just used our bodies to do so.

I swallowed loudly, again.

"I'm not going to cheat on him," I said, my voice turning to steel.

"I know," he said immediately, anger flaring in his eyes.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "You seem to know everything, don't you."

I quickly walked to the door of the shed and pushed it open, flooding that place with light. The door slammed shut behind me, the only sound that broke up the heavy silence of my exit.

* * *

**AN**: Well? What do you think? Thoughts? Pointers? I haven't really published any smut, so I'd appreciate feedback. AS always, all R&R is appreciated.

xx

humble shaken author


	5. An Inauspicious Beginning

**AN**: As promised, Tom is making an appearance in this chapter! R&R, please!

xx

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Bellatrix," called a voice from behind me.

I slowed down, but didn't stop. If the Head Girl wanted to talk to me, she could catch up. I heard her huffing behind me but continued walking.

"Bellatrix," she called again.

"I won't be late to my first class of the year on account of you, Evans," I said, but I slowed down more.

Finally, she reached me, and we walked together to 7th year Potions with Professor Slughorn.

"What can I help you with," I sneered, making my contempt for her and her Gryffindor ways obvious.

"I heard you have a broom in your room?"

"You heard correctly," I said, stepping through the doorway of the dungeon classroom.

"That's against protocol."

"So I've heard," I said, standing still, casting my eyes about and looking for a seat. Rodolphus was sitting near the back on the left side of the room, and Lucius was sitting directly in front of him. I groaned inwardly and looked about for more seats. That smarmy git, Severus Snape, was seated in the very back with Mulciber. I groaned again.

"Well, then you can't have your broom-"

"Listen, Evans. Unless you are going to get up at five every morning to carry me across the grounds to the pitch to practice at six, mind your business. It's not a weapon. It's a mode of transportation so that I can carry out my duties as Chaser. If you have a problem with that, cite me, and I will talk to Dippet myself." I turned my dark eyes to the red head, who was shorter than me by a head. Looking down at her, I said, "But we both know what he will say."

Her brow furrowed, and she seemed to be considering something. "I guess it doesn't hurt-"

"Of course it doesn't," I said. My eyes sought out one of my few female friends, Rose Costello. I noted that she was sitting next to Cassius Parkinson, and swallowed a sigh of disappointment, trying to be happy that she was sitting with her next target.

"Well, I've gotten some questions about your quidditch practice," she continued, following me to where I finally decided to sit.

I nodded at Rodolphus, who merely gazed back at me. Sitting down without further ado, I turned my full attention to Evans, eager to get her away from me before Slughorn thundered in, spewing shit about house unity and congratulating us on our maturity. "It's not my practice. I'm not team captain. Lucius is. Direct your inquiries to him."

"Some of your first years would rather approach you and ask," she mumbled, face turning red as Lucius turned around and glanced at her. Unbothered, he turned back to Yaxley and continued speaking in hushed tones.

"I suppose they will approach me and ask when they find me. Please sit down. Class is beginning soon," I said, fed up with playing nice. I pulled a quill from my supple dragon leather satchel, and withdrew a leather-bound stack of parchment from the same satchel. I was eager to learn the more advance potions, and this year, I was determined to keep up with Severus. Lily finally trounced away to sit with her flock of Gryffindor hens, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Rodolphus glanced at me, then looked away again.

I rolled my eyes. "Why doesn't she just talk to you about these things," I huffed.

He shrugged.

I turned my attention to him, ignoring Slughorn's loud arrival. I was curious. "What's got your knickers in a bunch," I whispered.

Rodolphus ignored me.

Sticking the tip of my quill in my mouth, and then transferring it to my left hand, I reached my right hand down and pinched his leg, watching his face for a reaction. There was none. Frustrated, I said nothing and turned my attention to Lucius, who's back appeared to be ramrod straight. His shoulders were tense, and there was a palpable energy about him. I looked back at Rodolphus and noticed he was sitting similarly. Suddenly, my curiosity peaked.

What had occurred before I arrived? Although I truly didn't want to, I scribbled a note to Lucius and enchanted it to fly to his desk. On it was scrawled, "What did you do to Rodolphus?"

Lucius snatched the note from where it was prodding his elbow, read it quickly, then scribbled back, sending it back my way.

"Nothing."

"Oh," I said out loud.

"Is there a problem, Miss Black," Slughorn boomed, having heard me.

"Not at all, professor. I was just admiring the ingenuity of that stirring technique. I don't think I had come across it before," I answered, thankful that I was naturally an attentive person.

"Ah, thank you! I came across it when I studied in…" he continued, speaking to the class at large.

I went back to my ministrations, miffed that my valuable learning time was being wasted.

"Rodolphus," I whispered.

He ignored me.

I placed my hand on his thigh, boldly placing pressure and moving it up. His hand shot out and stopped mine, squeezing it firmly. He held my small hand in his larger one for a second, then disengaged it from his thigh and placed it back in my lap. He looked at me quizzically, his bright green eyes shining with some undefinable emotion. I saw his Adam's apple bob up and down and fixed my eyes on it, watching him struggle to make words.

I parted my lips, ready to ask him one last time about what had occurred before my arrival, before I was interrupted by Slughorn's loud voice.

"Bellatrix, you will be partnered with Rodolphus for the year. Ah, good. You're already seated next to each other. Lucius, you will be paired with Severus…"

I broke out of my entrancement and rose, like the rest of my peers. It was time to make the first potion, which was a review on the Polyjuice. I readied myself to head to the ingredient cabinets, when Rodolphus finally spoke.

"I'll fetch the ingredients," he said, voice quiet. He walked away to the far side of the room, countenance somber, and I wondered again at how deeply he allowed his emotions to affect him.

I sat back down and faced the front, but as soon as I saw that Lucius was also still seated, I shot back up out of my seat and walked quickly to the one next to him.

"What happened," I asked, careful to keep my voice quiet.

"I said nothing."

I gazed at him and noticed how flushed he was. "Oh really," I said, narrowing my eyes.

"Yes, really," he said, meeting my gaze.

I took that moment to quickly perform _Legilimens_ on him, and was able to immediately find what I was looking for.

_"Stay away from her, I'm marrying her," Rodolphus said, voice steely with barely controlled rage._

_"Not yet," Lucius said, his voice mirroring Rodolphus'. "She's still free to decide. You haven't claimed her yet."_

_"I'm not claiming her! My marriage to her will be more than one of convenience!" Roared Rodolphus._

_"Good luck convincing her of that," Lucius said, before turning away to walk down the dark hallway towards his next class, leaving Rodolphus standing in the empty corridor, thunderstruck._

I quickly found myself shooting out of Lucius' mind and back into my own. Lucius' face had hardened with resolve and self-righteousness. Shocked with what I had seen, I tried to slow my heartbeats, to no avail. By the time Rodolphus had returned with the ingredients for the potion, which we were to begin brewing on our own time when the lunar cycle allowed, I felt positively sick to my stomach. Recalling my mother's wise words about hiding my emotions, I quickly pushed them down and opted for a cold demeanor. I would deal with this foolishness when the time was right, and potions class was by no means the right time.

"Bella," Lucius said, as I stood to return to my seat.

"Silence, Malfoy," I seethed, controlling my rage just enough so that he could see just how furious I was that he had spoken for me.

I am my own woman.

Lunch time found me sitting next to Rodolphus. We hadn't been able to speak at the prefects meeting right after potions, so I was really hoping that despite how aloof he had been acting, he would talk to me.

My plans were ruined when Andromeda made her way to where I was sitting. When she found that there was no room, she glanced at me before turning to Rose, giving her a look that indicated she should move over. Rose huffed loudly, glanced at me, then scooted, giving Andromeda her seat. I looked at my sister appraisingly. Surely, this was important. Andromeda didn't usually employ such tactics in public.

"Yes, 'Dromeda? This must be pressing if you're asking Rose to scoot over at lunch on the first day back from vacation," I drawled, sipping pumpkin juice. "_We_, after all, did have all summer together." I smiled at my younger sister, indicating to her that I was fine with her actions.

Andromeda gave me a smirk back, then, casting a look at Rodolphus, waved her wand and cast a Muffliato over us. "I heard you fought with Lucius again."

I set my cup down. "What's it to you, my pet?"

"Bella, mum told me you were betrothed to Rodolphus."

Surprised, I turned my gaze back to her. "Did she?"

"Yes. On the same night that she told me I was betrothed to Mulciber and Narcissa to Lucius."

I scowled. I didn't approve of Andromeda being paired with the cow of a man. I said nothing to that effect, however, and continued eating the pot roast that had been prepared for me.

"Bella, please be careful. I know you, so I know you and Lucius had a lover's quarrel. But others will begin to think that you are losing your mind and wielding your power uncontrollably."

"Why is this a problem," I asked, feigning ignorance.

She tsked loudly, before saying, "You know why! Just be careful, please. I love you and want you to do well. Don't let the ministrations of one silly boy, who has barely even reached adulthood, ruin your reputation here."

I laughed loudly and she joined me, and not for the first time, I found myself grateful to have Andromeda with me, even if she was still too meek for my tastes. I reassured her that I would look out for myself, then sent her back to her end of the table before I disenchanted our area.

Rose cast a look at me. The brunette looked as confused as ever. "What was that about," she sneered.

"Watch your tone," I said slowly. "That's my sister you're talking about."

Rose merely looked at me.

I sighed heavily. "Nothing. Now can I please have a meal in peace?"

She shrugged and turned back to Cassius. I was finally able to begin eating, and nearly had my fork to my mouth when Rodolphus spoke.

"What _was_ that about," he asked, before drinking from his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"_Now _you speak," I said, annoyed.

"Now I _feel_ like speaking." He turned to me. "What happened today was between Lucius and I. It does not concern you."

I laughed loudly. "That's funny. I was the topic of your dispute, was I not?"

Rodolphus' eyes narrowed, but then his countenance quickly changed to one of indifference. "It's your life. Either way, you'll end up married to me. I just thought I would make it easier for you, but I see you're not interested in that."

My ears perked up at this revelation, and I turned quickly to him. "What do you mean?"

"We'll see if you ever find out," he said cryptically.

Frustrated, I looked up at Lucius, who was seated across from us, only to find that he was looking right at me with an unreadable look on his face.

So it had come to this. I was to choose between interrogating these two idiots, or feeding myself.

When it came down to it, I only cared about number one. Such was my reasoning as I carefully sliced my pot roast and ate it slowly, staring at Lucius but not quite seeing him, and considering everything I had learned today.

And the day had barely begun.

I met Lucius outside the portal to the Headmaster's office. I didn't say a word to him, merely speaking the password aloud to the gargoyles guarding the entrance.

"Bebop," I said, sneering at the unfamiliar term.

The stone gargoyles jumped out of the way, revealing the slowly turning staircase that led up to Dippet's office. I stepped onto the steps first, allowing them to transport me to the wooden door at the end. I felt Lucius stepping on behind me, but he was careful not to touch me. I couldn't tell if I was upset or happy about this gesture, but decided it didn't matter.

Not soon enough, we had arrived at the top of the staircase. I knocked on the door to the office.

"Come in," Dippet's voice called.

I turned the doorknob and stepped into the circular room, the second time in as many days. Dippet was sitting behind his desk again, and upon our entrance, he looked up.

"Ah, both of you are here!" He glanced at his pocket watch, then said, "Right on time. You know, punctuality is a virtue."

I actively resisted the urge to roll my eyes and remained silent. Behind me, Lucius said, "Yes, sir. If you don't mind, we'd like to use the Floo now."

Dippet nodded and gestured for us to use his extremely large fireplace. "No, by all means! How else will you get to your apprenticeship," he said, laughing.

I wiped the scowl off my face and made the short walk to the fireplace, waiting for Lucius to throw the powder in. He grabbed a handful, sifting the grains between the openings of his fingers before tossing them into the roaring flames. I stepped in first, stooping as to not hit my head. I straightened up and brushed my hair back with frustration, then watched as Lucius crouched in and straightened up across from me. He shouted the address, and I could barely hear him over the roaring of the flames, but I could see his expression. His gaze was stormy, and reminiscent of this morning, and I could have sworn that the heat I felt was not from the flames, but from that same undefinable look with which he had targeted me.

We arrived in a slightly larger fireplace, and I was immediately surprised. Stepping out, I realized I knew this room. It was the parlor of the Malfoys' summer cottage in the countryside of Hanover, Germany. I looked questioningly at Lucius.

"You traveled to Hanover almost every night for the last part of sixth year, and you didn't tell me?"

Lucius just looked at me and shrugged, then led me out of the parlor and up the stairs to what was his father's study. He opened the door slowly, ushering me forward before entering himself. Seated behind a heavy ebony desk was none other than Tom Riddle, who seemed content to be lounging in the dim firelight. It was a distinctly ominous aura, and I reveled in the power emanating from him. He met my eyes from across the room and smiled, nodding approvingly.

"I'm glad, Bellatrix. Extremely glad indeed."

Only slightly annoyed, I threw up my shields. Smiling, I said, "Of course I would have found a way to make it, Mr. Riddle." I took the opportunity afforded by the brief pause in conversation to look around the room. There were several other figures gathered around the room, in various states of study and research. Surprised, I began to make my way over to where Lucius was seated with another person. It was too dim for me to see who, but I was curious.

"One moment, Bellatrix," Tom said, calling my attention back to him.

Frowning, I turned back around. "Yes," I said.

"I would like to speak to you privately," he said, " in the parlor." He held the door open, motioning me to walk through first.

I did, glancing at him as I passed. He seemed serious, so I didn't expect him to be as ridiculous as he was the last time we met. I climbed down the wide set of stairs slowly, giving him a chance to walk with me.

"Miss Black," he began, as he guided me to the parlor as if I hadn't been to the same room so many summers before, "I am glad that you've shown the initiative to join my little group."

I laughed. "I didn't have much of a choice."

"Oh?" he said, heading to the fire. He quirked a brow. "Didn't you?"

"You offered to teach me. I want to learn." I Summoned a comfortable armchair so that I could sit. I was tired from my long day.

Tom appraised me with his dark, glittering eyes. The fire flickered across his face, casting it in shadows and highlights. Instead of finding the effect ominous, I was attracted to it. It was comforting. Tom nodded solemnly. "Very well then," he muttered. More loudly, he said, "You seem extremely tired, but I'm afraid that if we are to begin your tutelage, you must do something for me today."

Immediately put on guard because of his strange tone, I waited for him to continue.

He stuck a long-fingered, pale hand into the pocket of his black robes and withdrew a bottle of Pepper-Up potion. "I need you to take this, and duel me."

"Duel you? To what end," I asked, confused.

"Dueling is an art form. It is also the perfect way for me to gauge your skills. After I have done so, I can better decide how best to teach you."

I scoffed. "And I suppose you tested those men I saw upstairs?"

"Every single one of them," Tom said, his gaze intense.

I tried to stall, fully aware that dueling was not my strong suit. "You haven't given me much notice," I said, almost meekly.

"That was my intention," he smiled.

I opted for the truth. "I don't know much about dueling, Tom."

"You're here to learn, aren't you? Dueling, coupled with research, is the perfect way to hone your magic and skills."

Unconvinced, I faltered.

Tom peered at me questioningly. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes," I said, drawing myself up to my full height. "What if you hurt me?"

He chuckled smoothly, cupping my cheek with a cold hand. "I'll try not to." He dropped his hand to mine and pulled me through the cottage to the yard out back.

He swung open the glass door, holding it for me to walk through. I immediately inhaled deeply, remembering the calming effect of the scent of earthy heath. Casting a glance behind me, I walked a ways forward, looking into the blue dark, wondering where we would be dueling. Tom walked towards me, then extended an arm for me to take.

"We're heading out a bit further. Wouldn't want to burn the house down with our ministrations," he said, eyes twinkling ominously in the dark.

I looped my arm through his, trepidation rolling off me in waves. "I can't really see," I said.

He chuckled. "I guess you are right. We can save night dueling for a lesson you will have in the future." He continued leading me further away from the cottage, tightening his hold on my arm to still my trembling. "Are you scared, Bellatrix?"

"Unseemly so," I said, disappointed with how I was presenting myself.

Tom looked down at me, then nodded. "Good. Use that fear to fuel your fighting. Over time, fear will cease to exist."

I gazed at him, confused at the gleam of red I saw in his eyes, but decided it was just a trick of the light. "Alright then. Let's begin."

Tom nodded again, then stopped our progress. "We're here." He cast a wandless spell. "Lumos maxima!" he boomed, and I watched as the power of light exploded forth from his hands and expanded towards the sky.

I was nearly blinded by the display or dazzling illumination, and found myself in awe at his sheer power. I gazed around us and saw that we were five hundred or so feet away from the cottage. "Surely all this distance is unnecessary?"

"We will see," he said. He disengaged himself from me and walked fifty feet away. "Ready yourself, Bella," he called.

I settled into my customary dueling stance, remembering what little was taught to me by my father and trying to recall the spells I had read about in the past.

Tom nodded appreciatively, then stood ramrod straight, his left arm behind his back, and his right arm firmly attached to his side. Despite his stance, I had a feeling that he was oddly relaxed. I swallowed my fear, then turned it into a ball of simmering anger that sat at the back of my chest, just as my father taught me to. Letting my wand slide down the sleeve of my blouse, I clenched the curved, smooth wood firmly, and bowed. Tom returned the gesture, and when we both rose, I extended my arm, twirling my wand in a tight, circular motion, willing a white spiral of light to inch out of the end of it. Swinging my arm back behind me and then forward toward the ground with great exertion, I saw the light dance in a ground-wrenching wave towards Tom, who swirled his wand at it and cast the entire length of energy up to the sky. I felt, rather than saw, the Lumos spell dim until I had the impression that it was dusk.

"Impressive," Tom said. "But slow, and too wasteful."

I tamped down on my embarrassment, then readied myself to be on the defensive.

"In dueling," Tom continued, his voice carrying across the distance between us, "There are customs, but few rules. So while you are preparing yourself to be on the defensive, remember that you could just as easily carry on the offensive at the same time."

I absorbed the information, then watched as a beam of violet light shot out of the end of Tom's wand. I jumped aside just in time, then whipped my wand arm across my shoulder, pivoting as I did so, directing my wand at the beam. Latching onto it, I flung it back in Tom's direction, then followed with three replicas of the spell. Tom formed a circular net of gossamer light to envelope the volleys, then enclosed the net, which swallowed the spells into nothingness. He shot a curse that I flung up and out, then I volleyed a curse back at him, knowing as soon as I launched it that it would be ineffective. It fizzled half way, and I fell to the ground, exhausted by my efforts. Tom didn't relent; he shot spell after spell at me, and all I could do was roll out of the way, panting for breath. Feeling my energy ebb dangerously low, I climbed to my knees and launched a Dark spell at him, one that my father taught me. The jet blue light shot across the expanse of land between Tom and I, and I grasped my wand with both hands, swinging my arms up and down to create a wave effect. I heard a loud crack as the earth beneath the jet of light ripped open, threatening to swallow Tom. Just as I was beginning to feel triumphant, Tom swung his wand around, wrapping the spell around himself before unleashing it towards me in a blanket of electric blue. Unable to get up in time, with one hand holding my ribcage to stop my breath from exploding from me, I managed to throw up a shield just in time to deflect the majority of the damage from my person. The rest of the spell hit me full force and I felt myself flying back through the air, my screams renting the still night. Before hitting the ground, I cast a Pillowing charm to cushion my impact. The last thing I saw before I fell unconscious was Tom running across the field to my sprawled figure, Lucius following, fear filling his eyes.

The black night enveloped me as my breath finally left me in a great whoosh.

I was happy to go.


End file.
